Sweet Lady Greensleeves
by ElizabethJaneMalfoy
Summary: This story tells the tale of Sweet Hermione Granger; an innocent farm-girl who gets the rare opportunity to serve at the Royal Court, where she meets the ever so handsome and wicked Earl of Wiltshire; the one and only Draco Malfoy. TudorEra Dramione.
1. Chapter 1

**_The idea for this fic popped up about a month or so ago now and has been pestering at me to be written. It's totally different to any of my other pieces but is very exciting for me and poses as a challenge to my skills._** **_This is only a test chapter to see how you respond to it and help and guide me on how I can continue with it as I'm still a little unsure of where it is going. Please read the rest of my Authors note at the end of this chapter. It's very important that you do._**

**_I hope you enjoy._**

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><p><strong><strong>Sweet Lady Greensleeves<strong>**

****Chapter 1 – The Stake****

**_31st October 1534_**

It was a bitter day.

A day for blood, tears, sorrow...death.

As she trailed her now calloused fingertips over the jagged stone wall of the chamber, Hermione wondered how many people had been sentenced to death and locked away in the tower before... how many had suffered at the hands of the King's torturers? Teeth ripped out, ears cut off... eyes burnt out with a branding iron. Though neither she or her sisters had to endure such a thing... they were ladies after all and no lady was to be tortured. She still wondered to herself what it must be like for those men, accused of such crimes to experience such an excruciating method. She and Ginny had seen the evidence of it after a man who was in the chamber adjacent to their own had all of his teeth removed and an ear cut off as he refused to admit to conspiring against the King and Queen Anne. His rags were drenched in sweat and blood as he sat weeping through the wall and all the two girls could do was listen.

Those few weeks spent in the tower were haunting, spent clinging to one another in fear of what they were to endure next, when would it all end?

"Why haven't they tried to save us, 'mione? Why won't they come like they promised us?" whispered Ginny one night, mouth chattering against the biting cold as the two young women lay entwined under a parchment thin, grubby blanket, trying to scavenge any warmth that they could from one another. As their breaths mingled as they lay face to face, Hermione stroked the auburn strands from her younger 'sister's' face.

"They'll come to us Ginny..." she insisted, in reassurance both to herself and the terrified girl that lay beside her, "I promise it. Don't doubt them, sister. They'll save us". She concluded by placing a gentle kiss against her lips, before laying her head back down to the stone floor, willing for Ginny to sleep.  
>As her friend drifted off in her arms, Hermione's gaze drifted to the barred window, looking out onto the dark, clear sky, the stars glittering brilliantly. Hermione Granger knew that she was going to die, along with the other four young women that had been locked away by the King's orders.<br>She wished nothing more than to be able to wander through the fields once more and feel the long shears of grass pass through her fingers as she breathed the fresh country air deep into her lungs. To feel the soft earth under her feet, crumbling between her toes. But such wishful thoughts would only be a dream now and she knew it.

An unfulfilled last wish.

Hot, salty tears seeped from Hermione's slowly closing eyelids and she stretched her fingers behind her, reaching back up to wall to trace her fingers along the cold stone, imagining his soft, defined back under her palms. Her nails scratched between the joining of the slabs as she imagined feeling along his fine torso, in between the rise and falls that were his taught abs.

Her lips began to vibrate as she began to hum a melody that she knew all too well, a song that he would sing lightly into the shell of her ear as they both lay together in their bed, caressing the damp sheen of perspiration off' one another's bodies, that special secret tune sending small tingles down her spine. It was a song of lost love, unrequited love, a story of their own love's history.

Her mouth began to twitch as the words formed on her lips and as the moisture glided down her cheeks, she began to sing...

_"'Tis, I will pray to God on high,  
>That thou my constancy mayst see,<br>And that yet once before I die,  
>Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.<em>

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,  
>To God I pray to prosper thee,<br>For I am still thy lover true,  
>Come once again and love me.<p>

Greensleeves was all my joy  
>Greensleeves was my delight,<br>Greensleeves was my heart of gold,  
>And who but my Lady Greensleeves..."<p>

She drifted off slowly into the realm of sleep, wiping her face of her shed tears and whispered a hushed declaration of her love, finally succumbing to the darkness.

By this time in the morrow, she would be no more than dust...

**...**

The crisp air bit at her bare feet as she was marched slowly through the hoards of people that had come to the tower to watch. They snarled, spat and hollered in her ears, trying to claw at her.

'You're the devil's whore'

'Rot in hell...'

'_Witch_'

The plain, long white smock scratched against her delicately paled and bruised skin and her knuckles whitened even further as she bunched the material in her hands in a vice-like grasp.  
>There were absolutely no emotions registering in her brain, just a tick, tick, ticking away as she made her way to the middle of the square that was now seeping with the barbaric and bloodthirsty citizens.<p>

Her eyes widened as she saw it.

The long beam that stood strongly in the centre of the dark, wooden platform surrounded by abundant numbers of freshly chopped kindling that would soon be roaring with fresh orange tongues.

The woman's legs began to quake ferociously, causing the guards to tighten their grip on her small, frail frame as they hauled her up the sturdy steps and into the middle of the podium where four more women; her friends stood sobbing into each other's shoulders. One Pansy Parkinson happened to be wailing her heart out, screaming and begging for mercy, denying anything and everything: Several days prior, Hermione had overheard the guards speaking in hushed tones outside the small, grimy cell about how her old rival turned close friend had been driven mad by the captivity, trying to gouge the veins out of her wrists with her nails as she rocked back and forth, muttering quietly to herself and protesting her innocence, demanding to be free.

How these women had fallen so rapidly. It was bizarre to even consider that they had been serving at court such little time ago as they stood side by side, hand in hand, all dressed in nothing but the same flimsy, itchy gowns that were billowing around their ankles, their hair shaven to their skulls and hidden by a small white cap.

All of them looked no more than fifteen years of age. The garments that they wore along with the gaunt, haunted expressions that plagued their vulnerable forms horribly distorted and decreased the true ages that they each held... that were soon to be cut short.

She slowly, reluctantly looked up to the royal stand, spying various members of court that she had mingled with mere weeks back, but there were only one set of eyes that she was looking for, yet a pair she knew she would never be able to seek out. That molten silver pair that she had grown so used to, loved, adored and cherished so heartily.

'He'll be long gone by now... along with the rest of them.' she thought to herself, rubbing her clammy hands together, her stomach churning in fear.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, Pansy Regan Parkinson, Lavender Elizabeth Brown, Astoria Georgiana Greengrass and Hermione Jean Granger" a deep, booming voice rang out.

"You have all been charged, tried and found guilty of witchcraft and by Law, and the decision of our Majesty King Henry himself, you have all been sentenced to burn at the stake until only ashes remain."

A long, pregnant pause followed. Hermione's heart was now thrashing against her chest and felt as if it were to explode any moment.  
>A twisted thought in her head wished it so, as it would be a much quicker death than the fate that awaited her.<p>

"Do you have any last words that you wish to speak?"

Every girl shook their heads solemnly, their trembling escalated, faces ashen, eyes already dead in their sockets. It seemed that they had all considered and accepted their fate, apart from Pansy, who began howling at such a volume that she was gagged by one of the guards and litte Ginny – the youngest of them all at nineteen years old who turned to Hermione, horrified and in understanding of what was to happen to them.

It was time.

In a matter of minutes...

_The end would begin._

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><p><strong><em>Sweet Lady Greensleeves is a period piece, set in the Tudor Era<em>** **_of England in the early 1500's during the reign of Henry VIII. Now, I am not too great on history and_** **_I will definitely be doing my research but please note_** **_that I won't necessarily be sticking to the true history_** **_and happenings of that_** **_time so if you are a fan of history etc, I hope you take into consideration that everything I write is intended for the story_** **_and might not have actually happened in real life! I understand that Henry beheaded and Hung people when he was reigning but I thought it would be more interesting if they were to be burnt at the stake like witches have been_** **_in history._**

**_It will be my own story but like any other fan-fiction; I shall be manipulating the characters (including royal and historic figures) to the storyline.  
>Last but not least – I won't be using the old language either I'm afraid – I'm not good at that! Haha. I will keep it as true as I can though!<em>**

**_I do admit: this chapter is pretty dark, but it's not going to be like this all the time – I promise! You'll get to find out how Hermione and the others were accused, tried etc and how she fell in love with Draco AND how they fit in with the King etc. It won't get dark until the end now!_**

**_Please feedback and let me know whether I should continue writing it!_**

**_Many Thanks!_**

**_-Lizzie_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**So after months of planning and a little research, I have decided to continue this fic. I'm so very excited about it and hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy telling this story. Before I go on, I must re-iterate that it is a Tudor era fic, yet I am not going to be using much historic research. So the language will still remain fairly modern and some of the descriptions of various stuff may not be historically correct. I'm also manipulating historical figures such as Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to fit to the story as well! Just a heads up! Following on from the first chapter the story will now flashback until towards the ending and tell you the story of how everything came to be. In this first chapter, we take a look at Hermione's past and the beginning of her new adventure. I hope you enjoy.**_

_**~Lizzie**_

**_IMPORTANT: The grey line (exactly the same as the one below this authors note) depicts the beginning of the flashback, the stars: *** depict a jump within that flashback and then another grey line at the end of the flashback to jump us back to 'present time' a.k.a. 18th Jan 1533. I hope that makes sense and doesn't just confuse you entirely!?_**

**_DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling. This fanfiction was written for fun, not profit and no copyright infringement is intended._**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 2 - A Fine Invitation<span>**

**18th January 1533**

A dark, wintery morning. 6am to be precise. A thick grey fog slumbered over the meadows, deep green spears of grass enveloped in a fresh, crisp frost. Amongst the meadows, stood a quaint little farm, known as simply 'The Burrow'. It sat isolated, a good few miles from the nearest village of Ottery St. Catchepole, but was never short of customers and rarely seen to be resting. People travelled from far and wide for the Weasley family's produce, as they were renowned for their hard-working, friendly service and reasonable prices, titling them as one of the best working farms in Surrey.

At this time of morning, the farm would already be alive, readying themselves for the day of business ahead of them. Yet, on this particular Friday morning, things were very different indeed. The farm was awake and bustling as it should be, breakfast had been eaten, faces had been washed, bodies had been dressed. But instead of being out collecting the freshly laid eggs from the hen house as she usually would, Hermione Granger sat in her bedroom, anxiously staring out of the icicle framed window, listening out for the distinct sound of hooves clacking against the hard gravel that lead its way up to The Burrow.

Today was the day that her new life would begin.

_'Another new beginning...' _she thought, reaching up to clasp a golden disc that hung from a thin chain around her neck. The locket had been her Mothers and was the only possession that Hermione had to remember her parents, who were tragically murdered when she was eleven years old. Hermione remembered that night vividly, often succumbing to nightmare's that would continually haunt her of that dreadful night...

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><p>They had spent the day shopping in London. As a wealthy Dentist, Hermione's father could treat her and her mother Jane, to anything that took their fancy...<p>

"Oh my, what a beautiful necklace" said Jane, who stared longingly at a beautiful pearl and ruby choker on the Jewellers stall.

"How much?" asked Thomas, to the old man running the stand.

"This?" replied the man, voice croaking slightly from his old age, "This is but one of my _treasures_. I will sell it for no less than a crown, Sir."

Thomas hesitated, before looking over to his wife, who still stared at the necklace, completely enamoured. Hermione giggled up at him. "I think Mother has fallen in love with the necklace, Papa" she said.

He sighed inwardly. "A crown it is then" he declared, reaching into his pocket for his money sack.

"Oh _Thomas_!" exclaimed Jane, beaming at her husband "Thank you my sweetheart, it's beautiful!"

"A beautiful necklace for my exceedingly beautiful Wife" he replied, handing over the money. "You must wear it for me now, I insist. Hermione, help your mother take off her locket and look after it until we arrive home."

Hermione obeyed immediately, reaching up to unclasp the chain, wrapping it carefully in the fabric of her handkerchief, before slipping it into the breast of her dress to keep it safe.

Once their business was finished and the ruby necklace glittering brilliantly around Jane's delicate neck, the Granger family happily continued on their way through the market.

Thomas was so pleased to see his wife happy, yet his stomach twisted at the thought of that crown being pressed into the Jeweller's wrinkled hand.

Thomas Granger had tried his hardest to ensure the stability of his family, their home and his business, yet, unbeknownst to his wife and daughter, his business was not earning as much as they were lead to believe and in order to keep it running, he had been forced to take a loan from a less than pleasant man of extreme wealth, promising to himself that he would save his family from poverty and be able to keep his family happy.

However, unable to repay the loan, his debt had only worsened and the loan-shark in question, was about to turn extremely sour.

As they rode in their carriage back home, his two girls blissfully happy with their new purchases, Thomas turned his head to look out of the back window, with an uncomfortable feeling that they were being followed.

"Is everything okay, Papa?" Hermione had said, threading her arm through her Father's, noticing his agitation.

"Everything is perfect, my darling" he replied tenderly "Now you must get straight to bed when we get home. It's been a long day."

"Yes Papa"

The horses snorted heavily as they pulled the carriage up towards Granger House, stopping abruptly outside the front door. As they stepped out of the carriage and onto the grounds, the family heard a faint approach of horses, racing up the very path that they had travelled. They must've been a few minutes away and whoever it was, they rode with intent. A sinister feeling crawled it's way up Thomas' spine, telling him that danger was approaching and with the horses growing closer by the second, time was running out.

_Fast. _

Thomas looked at his daughter. His sweet, fair Hermione. If only he could get her and Jane to safety, nothing else would matter. They could kill him, for he had done wrong, but he wasn't prepared for his family to suffer for his actions and he knew deep down that his pursuer would want nobody's life to be spared.

He took his wife's hand. "Jane..." he said "I know who it is and it is not safe for you or Hermione to be here. You must go immediately, take Hermione with you and _run_."

His wife stared back in disbelief, face plagued with confusion. "Thomas? What is going on? Tell me."

"There's no time to explain, my darli-"

"Tell me. _Now_." She demanded, clasping onto him. Hermione watched on at her flustered parents, her stomach twisting with unexplained fear. _What was happening_?

"I borrowed some money._ A lot_. We needed it and I didn't want to tell you because it would have worried you greatly. But the man who gave me the money wasn't a kind sort and I haven't been able to pay him back..." he whispered, tears beginning to seep from his eyes. Jane let out a sharp cry of horror, also beginning to weep. The clattering of hooves drew nearer.

"My darling, you _must_ go. If they find you and Hermione they will kill you as well...Please take our daughter and leave now."

"No... I can't leave you Thomas... _Please_, I can't live without you."

"You have to. For Hermione. She will have nobody left." He whispered. They both looked at their daughter, who stood a few feet away, full of terror as she absorbed her Mother and Father's dramatic conversation.

_'They will kill you as well'_ he had said.

'_Kill you'_

In a heartbeat, Jane had disappeared into their house and her father was knelt in front of her, clasping her paled cheeks in his cold hands.

"Hermione, you _look_ at me, you _listen_ and you _do as you are told_, do you understand me?"

She nodded, "I always do as I'm told"

"I know, petal, I know. That is why it is so important that you do just that right now." Her father replied, quickly and breathily. He reached into his pocket and placed his money pouch into her hands.

"Tie this around your wrist, go to the lake down the road and you wait for Mama behind our oak tree whilst she collects some of your things. Do _not_ under any circumstances come back, do you hear me? Your Mother will take you on from there when she meets you shortly."

Hermione began to shake, hot tears streaming down her face. This was all happening so fast!

Thomas hesitated a little before his next sentence... "If...if for any reason, your mother doesn't reach you._ You run_."

"What about you, Papa?"

Thomas pressed a quick, chaste kiss to his daughters forehead and forced a smile.

"Papa has to go away sweetheart." He faltered slightly, trying to keep his grief at bay. "But I promise you'll see me again one day."

"No!" She cried.

"I _promise_. I love you my darling. I will _always_ love you."

The horseback riders were closing in on them. This was it.

"Go Hermione..._go NOW!_" He spun her around and shoved her into a run, watching her disappear into the trees.

Hermione ran as fast as she could, her best sapphire dress was torn to shreds in a matter of minutes as the young girl fought her way through the sharp twigs and thorns, her hair now free of the pins that styled it back and her dark brown curls blowing wildly around her sweating face. She reached her destination in seven minutes, quicker than she ever had before and hungrily cupped several mouthfuls of cool water into her mouth from the lake, underneath the tall, sturdy oak.

That's when the screaming started.

Hermione's heart leapt out of her chest as she heard distinct shrieks of her Mother and Father. The sound was deafening and made her sick to her stomach. The young girl curled beneath the oak tree and covered her ears with her palms, wishing for the cries to stop, praying for her mother to come and fetch her as promised.

Her palms began to grow hot; a tingling feeling beginning to pulse down her forearms. She looked down at her hands which began to glow a bright yellow. Now she was frightened beyond belief. Hermione shook her hands violently, trying to stop whatever was happening to her, but the tingling only increased as her hands shone brilliantly, lighting up the dark surroundings. There was one final scream in the distance as Jane Granger took her last breath and a moment later; Hermione was unconscious.

She awoke the next morning, teeth chattering from the biting cold and for a moment was left in confusion as to what had happened, but it all came flooding back in a vengeance. She looked around at her surroundings. The lake. The oak tree.

"Mother?" Hermione croaked, her voice raw and desperate.

"_Mother!?_" She tried again, more loudly.

"Mama" she sobbed.

This time it wasn't a question.

_She hadn't come._

Hermione wanted so much to race back to the house - her home, to see what she would find. But her father's voice echoed in her head...

_'Do not under any circumstances come back' _he'd said.

_'You run'_

And, if even for the last time... she would obey him.

She ran.

It had been two full days of endless travel, before an exhausted, grubby and almost famished Hermione had found The Burrow. She managed to keep away from the populated areas, too scared to approach people when she was alone and clearly vulnerable. The moon shone beautifully in the black sky, as she waded her way through the long spears of wheat and towards the small house. When the door swung open to reveal a wary Mrs Weasley, Hermione could do nothing but burst into tears...

"Where did you come from my dear?" asked the kind faced woman.

"Hampshire, ma'am" Hermione had replied shyly.

The woman had taken her in immediately, stripped her, bathed her, and she was now sitting at a wooden dining table in a slightly tight, plain dress leant to her by the woman's daughter and a warm bowl of broth sitting in front of her. Hermione stared vacantly at the bowl, clasping her mothers locket in one hand under the table. Most of the family had been alerted of Hermione's arrival and had all gathered around the table in their night clothes. She had never seen such a large family before! And all with the most beautiful red hair. It made her heart squeeze to see all of them together, only a sharp reminder as to what she had so suddenly lost.

"And your family dear?" asked the Man. Arthur, he had introduced himself as.

Hermione's eyes teared up and she began to sob into her bowl. Mrs Weasley's arms took her into a tight embrace as the young girl cried painfully into her bosom. The seven red-headed children watched quietly as their mother comforted the unknown girl. When she had calmed and Molly had encouraged her to eat some of her broth, Hermione was ready to speak again.

"Papa told me to run"

"Run from what?" asked Arthur.

"I don't know. But I heard him telling my mother that if we didn't run, they would kill us." she replied, meekly.

The room was silent for a moment.

"Up to bed, all of you." Molly ordered her children, who jumped into action at once. " I don't want to hear a peep from any of you, do you hear?" A chorus of _'Yes Mother's _chimed as one by one, the auburn haired siblings disappeared to their bedrooms.

The house was warm and inviting, yet old and rickety. Wind whistled through the window panes and Hermione could hear the floorboards creaking upstairs, the Weasley children probably trying to eavesdrop as best as they could. Molly and Arthur stayed up with her until the early hours listening to her story, learning how she had no other family to take her in as they were all dead, and also no inheritance, as her Father had lost all of their money.

Molly and Arthur looked at each other. Arthur could see what his wife wanted as she silently pleaded with him. She was such a caring and loving woman, qualities that had made him fall in love with her those many years ago...

"Hermione..." he started "We are both ever so sorry for what has happened to you, I can't imagine how you must feel and it pains me to even think about what would happen to my own children if they were left in your situation." He looked to Molly and she nodded, smiling.

"My wife and I would like you to stay with us." he invited, smiling encouragingly at the young girl. "We always need an extra pair of hands around the farm, but it would be a _completely_ different lifestyle from what you have experienced so far... we are a popular business but still have nine mouths to feed, so are frugal. It would take some getting used to."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. A family taking in an orphan was rarely heard of. How fortunate she was to walk into such a generous people... It was overwhelming to her.

"We may have to work hard, we may be strict and we may not have that much money, but the one thing us Weasley's do have... is _love_."

For the first time in three days, Hermione's mouth lifted into a small, smile.

It took a very long time, but Hermione moved on and soon the Weasley lifestyle became natural to her. She learned about each and every one of them. Molly had been similar to her when she was young, having grown up in the renowned Boleyn family, but then disowned when she had secretly eloped with farmer's boy Arthur, who she had met at the tender age of sixteen. She gave up everything to be with him, which Hermione found ever so romantic and endearing.

She also learned that they had an eighth child, Percy, who had managed to work his way up the social ladder and was away from home, working as a messenger for the King. She met him a couple of times some years later, but he never seemed to warm to her, Which was unfortunate. The rest of the siblings however, warmed to Hermione immediately. Bill and Charlie taught her how to milk the goats and cows and Ronald (though a little shy in her presence) helped her with collecting the crops. Fred and George were a little bit harder to win over, making Hermione the victim for a lot of their pranks for a while but they soon became friendly enough to let her in on their secrets, and Ginevra (or Ginny, as she liked to be called) well she was just excited to finally have a big sister. The two girls spent a lot of time running through the fields and picking flowers to put in each others hair, collecting the eggs together, sitting next to each other at church and telling each other their secrets.

_Speaking of secrets..._

It was on Hermione's fifteenth birthday that her biggest secret was outed to Ginny. She hadn't felt that warm tingly feeling in her palms for years and had almost forgotten about it. It was the afternoon, and as she sat under a large oak in one of the meadows - much similar to the one she collapsed under those four years ago, Hermione remembered her parents, the tears streaming down her face.

Her heart _ached_ for them.

She often thought about what might have happened if her Father hadn't taken that loan. They could still be alive. Poorer, yes, but _alive_.

"Foolish man..." She whispered, looking up to the sky.

"Why Papa? You could still be here, you and Mother both!"

She was angry now and clenched her fists. That's when she noticed her hands becoming warm... She looked down and there it was - a growing yellow light, pulsing from her hands. Her eyes widened.

"_No_..." She breathed.

"Mione?"

Hermione turned quickly to see Ginny approaching her, she went to swing her hands behind her back, but it was too late, she had already seen.

"Mione, your hands!"

"I-I can't.._. It won't stop_!" she cried.

Her younger sister approached her carefully and looked again at Hermione's hands.

"Close your eyes" she said, in a calming voice.

"What? _Why_?!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Just do it Hermione. Trust me."

She closed her eyes apprehensively and the younger girl praised her. "Good. Now breathe slowly, in through the nose and out through the mouth..."

She did as she was told and slowly but surely, Hermione could feel the tingling in her palms abating. When she opened her eyes, the glow in her hands had vanished. She looked up to her younger sister in disbelief...

"_How_?" she breathed.

"I get it too" replied Ginny. "It started when I was eleven, thankfully not in front of anyone. I was really angry when it happened. Remember when Fred and George had put cow pat in my shoes? I went to sulk in our room, I think you were in the wheat field with Ron."

Hermione nodded, remembering the day perfectly.

"It came on gradually. My palms were sweaty and getting hotter by the second, and then they started to glow."

"Weren't you scared?"

"Of course, but I daren't tell anyone! You've heard the stories Bill tells about witchcraft haven't you? There are supposedly women - _witches_ -who put _curses_ on people!" She exclaimed "If they're found..." she faltered slightly "Hermione, if they're found... they're _executed_."

Hermione stood speechless for a moment, trying to take in everything that Ginny had just told her.

"And that's what you think we are, Gin? _Witches_!?"

"Something like that! I don't _know_ Hermione!" she replied, sitting herself on the floor and dragging Hermione down with her. She began fiddling with the grass, thinking to herself.

"We can't exactly be normal people, can we?" She suggested "You don't see normal people walking around with glowing hands..."

"I suppose..." agreed Hermione. "How did you know how to stop it?"

"I didn't... I just noticed that the more panicked I got about it, the more intense it became. When I managed to calm myself down... It went away."

There was a short pause.

"We can't tell anyone about this, Mione. Not a single soul, not even our family. God forbid what would happen to us..."

Hermione nodded in agreement and held out her pinky finger to her sister... "So it's a promise then?". Ginny smiled and hooked her own pinky finger around Hermione's and squeezed.

"_Promise_."

* * *

><p>There it was, the faint clapping of horses was making it's way up the path to The Burrow.<p>

"Hermione!" called Molly, up the staircase.

"I know!" she responded, lifting herself from the bed and rushing down the stairs.

A few weeks ago, it was announced that Anne Boleyn was set to marry King Henry and become the Queen of England. It was then, that Molly Weasley was sent a letter from her cousin Thomas Boleyn, inviting any of her daughters to become Anne's ladies in waiting.

It was the first time that Molly had heard from any member of her family in all the years since they had decided to disown her. She was hesitant to respond at first, but then took the gesture as a blessing for her daughter's. Just like Percy, they had the opportunity to find a better life for themselves, to blossom as beautiful young women and perhaps find a husband.

Ginny accepted straight away, but the thought of going back into a more upper class setting left Hermione a little apprehensive. After eight long years, The Burrow had become her home. She had learnt so many important things and made a new life for herself. Was she ready to do it all over again?

"Only you know what you want, Hermione." said Charlie one evening, as they watched the sunset from the stables together. "I know what I'd do..."

"What would you do?" she pressed him.

He smiled.

"There's a whole world out there. I'd be jumping at the chance to explore it... and it's not every day that you get an invitation to serve the future Queen of England. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, Hermione. You won't get it again..."

Ginny was already fit to leave, her winter cloak wrapped snugly around her small shoulders, covering up the dress she always saved for best. Hermione had done the same for this very special occasion, both dresses were fitted with a corset, as was the fashion these days. They were a damned nightmare to get into, but Hermione always looked and felt like a lady when she wore it. Molly held out Hermione's cloak...

"Careful darling..." warned Molly, as she slipped the thick garment over her surrogate daughter's shoulders "you don't want to ruin your hair."

Both Hermione and Ginny's hair was styled to perfection, Hermione's plaited neatly, wound round her head and pinned in place like a crown, whilst Ginny's was scooped back and secured with a beautiful netted headdress. They certainly looked the part.

"Remember everything that I taught you..." said Molly "Posture, Politeness, Eloquence - and _don't_ forget to curtesy!" she finished, beaming at them.

They said goodbye to their family one by one, and as they got closer to the carriage, Hermione did her best to compose herself. It was Percy who had come to assist them on their long journey, sitting on a beautiful fawn mare. She noticed how he didn't even dismount to greet his family, but only nodded sharply in their direction.

"I'm going to miss them _so_ much..." Hermione said, as their carriage pulled further away from The Burrow. Ginny took her hand in her own to comfort her, leaning her head down onto Hermione's cloaked shoulder. The driver had covered them in furs so that they wouldn't get cold, they would be travelling for an entire day, through the frosty countryside. "They will miss you too, sister. You've grown to be a second daughter to them...of course they'll miss you. _Everyone will_."

A snort came from outside of the carriage as Percy trotted up beside the window and stared in at Hermione, coldly. "We'll she's _certainly_ no sister of mine..." he spat, before galloping off ahead. Hermione's teeth and fists clenched at once. How _dare_ he insult her like that?

Her fists began to warm.

"Don't listen to him 'mione... His head has grown ten times and more since he left to be at court." whispered Ginny, who had noticed Hermione's glowing hands... "_Breathe_" she ordered, and once again, the glowing was gone.

"_God forbid_ if I ever become like that, you must tell me."

Ginny giggled, "You and me both, sister" she replied, before leaning her head back down onto Hermione's shoulder. There was silence for a few minutes, as the two young girls thought to themselves,watching the hot air as it puffed out of their mouths and into the biting cold.

"What do we do about our secret?" asked Ginny, quietly.

Hermione needn't ask what she was talking about, she knew exactly what Ginny was referring to...

"We keep to it just as we promised four years ago, Gin."

"Yes..." she replied, quietly.

"Go to sleep" said Hermione. She tipped her head down onto Ginny's carefully, so that she didn't dislodge any pins. "We have a long journey ahead of us..."

"An adventure..." whispered Ginny, bringing a smile to Hermione's lips.

"An adventure indeed." She agreed, before reaching up to play with her beloved locket, her eyes fluttering shut.

Hours later, the girls were awakened by Percy's shrill voice. Having napped for most of their journey, it was now well into the evening.

"Percy Ignatius Weasley, messenger to the King, here to present her highness with two new Ladies in waiting: a Lady Ginevra Weasley and Lady Hermione Granger..." announced Percy to the Guards that stood in front of the gates. They were immediately allowed entry and the iron gates squeaked painfully as they were opened.

Hermione's jaw dropped as she spotted the most magnificent building that she had ever laid her eyes upon. It was _gigantic_ - about one hundred times the size of the manor house that lived in with her parents! The architecture was stunning, flamed torches making the stone look as if it were sparkling! Guards were _everywhere_ and every single window was lit up, the building completely alive.

_'This is about to become my home' _Hermione thought, nerves turning into excitement. She looked to Ginny who was equally flabbergasted, gripping her hand tightly. The pair couldn't help but let out a couple of excited squeals, gaining a less than amused glare from Percy.

"We're not on a farm any more and if that's the way you intend to behave in front of the King, then I may as well take you back." He clipped. The two girls ignored him completely and beamed at each other...

"Posture..." Said Ginny, arching her shoulders back so that she was sitting up straight, Hermione following suit.

"Politeness..." Hermione chirped, before nodding to Ginny politely "Good evening m'lady..." Ginny immediately responded, "Good evening" the pair giggled once more.

"Eloquence..." finished Ginny, making sure that she pronounced every syllable impeccably and once again, Hermione echoed... "_Eloquence_"

Their carriage came to a halt, and the door swung open to reveal a dark haired, bespectacled young man who introduced himself as Harry Potter, holding his hand out to assist the two pretty young ladies from the carriage.

Ginny turned quickly back to Hermione, before she could take Harry's hand to exit the carriage and as if Hermione knew exactly what was coming... They both whispered in unison: "_And don't forget to curtesy!_"

Harry smiled politely as the two ladies stepped out into the cold, clasping their cloaks about them tightly. They studied their new surroundings again, closer this time, drinking anything and everything in...It was definitely a palace fit for a King.

"_M'ladies_..." Harry addressed them, drawing their attention to him. "Welcome to Whitehall Palace"

**_To be continued..._**

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><p><strong><em>So there you have it! Sweet Lady Greensleeves is well and truly on it's way! For those of you who may have noticed: Please do not fear! There WILL be the introduction to one silver haired dragon in the next chapter - don't you worry. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Hermione's back story! I'm hoping to update ASAP. So keep your eyes peeled! Please review, it would mean the absolute world to me! Tell me what you think so far and what your predictions are etc! Until next time... ~L<em>**


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